Showing 1-96 of 178 items found in History

Originally founded in 1891 as a private club for forward-thinking women, the Nineteenth Century Club continues the tradition of social and cultural advancement to this day. One of Oak Park's premiere venues for educational, cultural, and philanthropic events, it boasts an elegant and expansive parlor suited well for weddings and a ballroom that draws an impressive lineup of musical performances.

The Museum of Broadcast Communications (MBC), at 360 North State Street in Chicago, is an Illinois non-profit corporation and manages two subsidiaries --Museum.TV and the National Radio Hall of Fame (NRHOF) and its website radiohof.org. The MBC’s mission is to collect, preserve and present historic and contemporary and television content as well as educate, inform and entertain the public through its archives, public programs, screening, exhibits, publications and online access to its resources.

Located just outside the city of Chicago, the Leaning Tower of Niles is a half-sized replica of the famous tower in Pisa. It is made of steel, concrete and precast stone and is 94 ft (28 m) tall with a 7.4 ft (2.2 m) tilt. Completed in 1934 by Robert Ilg.

The Richard H. Driehaus Museum immerses visitors in one of the grandest residential buildings of 19th-century Chicago, the Gilded Age home of banker Samuel Mayo Nickerson. Philanthropist Richard H. Driehaus founded the museum on April 1, 2003 with a vision to influence today’s built environment by preserving and promoting architecture and design of the past.

John Binder, a local mob historian and author of "The Chicago Outfit", conducts the popular There Goes the Neighbor Hood tour. Running from early spring to late fall each year, the tour showcases local gangster history through Oak Park and River Forest with visits to 15 houses that were once occupied by major mobsters. Binder sprinkles in facts about the criminal careers of the former owners, unique features of each home, and rare information about the family's time spent there.The tour lasts approximately two hours and travels by minibus with no walking required. The tour departs from (and returns to) the Oak Park Visitor Center.

The Legacy Walk is a dynamic outdoor LGBT history exhibit in the "Lakeview" neighborhood of Chicago. Presently, along the half mile of the North Halsted Street Corridor, between Belmont Avenue and Grace Street, ten (10) pairs of 25'-tall decorative "Rainbow Pylons" define the nexus of Chicago's LGBT community. Affixed to the pylons are a series of bronze memorial plaques commemorating the life and work of notable lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender individuals whose achievements have helped shape the world

The BVIC is an African-American heritage tourism destination that serves as the main orientation center for those visiting Bronzeville. Here, visitors, residents, students, researchers and entrepreneurs can receive an orientation and information on Bronzeville's rich history and culture.

Built in 1929, the Villa Park Historical Museum building originally served the community as the Villa Ave stop for the Chicago, Aurora & Elgin electric train line and an appliance store. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. Today, it houses relics and artifacts from Villa Park's past including articles from the Ovaltine Factory which once operated in Villa Park and Sears Catalog Homes in the area.

ince pinback buttons were patented in 1896, people have found many ways to express their life events through buttons. They created the Button Museum to show how people commemorated noteworthy times in their lives by creating and collecting these wearable mementos. The words, artwork, printing style, color, and size were the final result of a vision they wanted to communicate or be a part of.

A cherished landmark in the heart of downtown Wheaton, The Little Popcorn Shop is perhaps one of the most loved and narrowest stores in the Chicagoland area measuring 49 inches wide by 60 feet long. The store’s small, quaint space is like walking into a Norman Rockwell painting. Popcorn is freshly popped, candy lines the wall, and locals greet each other warmly while welcoming newcomers to this very special place called The Little Popcorn Shop.

The Elk Grove Historical Museum provides a look at pioneer living from the mid 19th to early 20th century. The Museum specializes in the history of the Elk Grove and its development over time. Open year round, the Museum offers tours, educational programs, exhibits, and assistance with research on Elk Grove Village and the surrounding area.

Like their neighborhood history tours, the Chicago food tours have no upfront costs. All food is chosen and ordered by you. Their guides make recommendations and facilitate ordering, but you have the final say. You choose your own food and pay for it directly. They have planned in 4-5 food shops, including a dessert shop, and sometimes even a tea shop. Each establishment serves up incredibly delicious and inexpensive food served in portions that can be easily divided and shared or singularly devoured. In between the food stops, you’ll have time to digest your food as well as digest the history of the neighborhood, as told to you by one of their entertaining and knowledgeable guides.

Loyola University Chicago’s Lake Shore and Water Tower Campuses offer multiple conference and event facilities with full service amenities to ease the planning of your next event. Each campus offers elegant year-round venues, affordable housing, electronic classrooms and auditoriums, on-premise catering options, and a full range of audio/visual equipment to make your next event a success. Loyola’s Water Tower Campus is centrally located in Chicago’s eloquent Gold Coast neighborhood and right off of the Magnificent Mile. Experience all the best Chicago has to offer including world famous steak houses, great shopping, theaters, art museums, and many other exciting tourist attractions. On Chicago’s north side, Loyola’s Lake Shore Campus is just steps from the lake and offers a serene setting for conferences and special events alike. From city to lake, Loyola’s two Chicago campuses are surrounded by all the best this city has to offer.

The American Toby Jug Museum is home to more than 8,000 Toby and Character jugs, and related derivatives from around the globe. The collection spans the Centuries and features characters representing the times in which they were made, from the oldest dating back to the 1760’s to the most recent ones still in production. It is the largest collection in the world, and is on display and open to the public

Pleasant Home is an architectural gem that showcases 19th century craftsmanship and artistry. Designed in 1897 by prominent architect George W. Maher, the home is a National Historic Landmark and the only Maher building open to the public as a museum. You and your guests will be surrounded by rich custom woodwork, extraordinary art glass windows, intricate woodcarvings, and the glowing warmth of light from another era. The Pleasant Home's 1st floor includes of the Great Hall, Living and Dining Rooms and enclosed circular porch. The front porch is a great addition to the 1st floor during warmer weather. It is perfect for wedding ceremonies, smaller banquets or cocktail parties. The Library is slightly off the beaten path, but is a great place for a buffet station for a cocktail reception. It is also perfect for small lectures of meetings that do not require the use of the whole house.

Founded in 1882, the Chicago Stock Exchange boasts more than 3,000 stocks traded, with an average trading volume of 13 million daily. View the second-largest stock exchange in the country from the fifth-floor Visitors Gallery.

This Victorian home features rooms furnished with artifacts exemplifying the lifestyle of the emerging middle-class during the 1870s. Group tours welcome seven days a week with reservations, based on availability. Admission free.

The area's rich heritage is celebrated at the Historical Society through exhibits, lectures and special programs regularly taking place on the second floor of Historic Pleasant Home. The society also comprises a museum in a restored Cicero Firehouse, which includes a research center, children's activity room and changing exhibits about regional history. Special events are constantly rotating, and visitors are encouraged to check the website's calendar for specific information about upcoming programs.

This international marketplace enables institutions and businesses to manage their financial risk and allocate their assets. Futures and options contracts are traded on the Mercantile's two state-of-the-art trading floors.

The Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA) is located on the Magnificent Mile in Lewis Towers, a historic 1926 Gothic Revival building. The museum, with 25,000 square feet contains eight main exhibition galleries, the William G. and Marilyn M. Simpson Lecture Hall, the Solomon Cordwell Buenz Library of Sacred Art and Architecture, the Museum Shop, the Push Pin Gallery, and the Harlan J. Berk Ltd. Works on Paper Gallery.

Housed in the gracious historic mansion of former U.S. Vice President Charles Gates Dawes, this stunning chateau overlooks Lake Michigan. Visitors and history buffs explore this National Historic Landmark appreciating its original furnishings and artwork. The home features exhibits focusing on the history of Evanston.

This 80-year-old Indiana limestone building was constructed as a memorial to the members of Sigma Alpha Epsilon who fought and died in our nation's wars, and contains some of the last stained-glass works of Louis C. Tiffany.

This museum is a 12 room, two story Italianate Victorian house donated to the Society in 1969. The Society’s mission is to discover, preserve, provide access to and disseminate the history of the general area and of Highland Park, in particular.

The Newberry Library is an independent library free and open to the public for research and reference in the humanities. The library offers a vast array of lectures, seminars, concerts and exhibits related to its collections.

A leading institution of the Village of Skokie and a staple of downtown Skokie, the library is truly a center for the community with more than 450,000 items available for check-out, three community meeting rooms and hundreds of events and classes offered each month. The library offers the latest in cutting edge technology with library resources available 24 hours a day via their website, plenty of computers available for internet access and research and a wireless network on the 2nd floor.

This Victorian home features rooms furnished with artifacts exemplifying the lifestyle of the emerging middle-class during the 1870s. Group tours welcome seven days a week with advanced reservations. Walk-in hours Wednesdays & Sundays. Free admission.

Free Tours by Foot is pleased to present the only pay-what-you-like Chicago walking tours. These interesting and informative sightseeing tours will take you through many of the Windy City’s most famous neighborhoods. They’re one of the best things to do on your visit. They offer walking, food, architecture and bike tours. Come experience their Chicago walking tours.

The Richard H. Driehaus Gallery of Stained Glass, located near the tip of Chicago’s Navy Pier, immerses visitors in darkened rooms bathed in the glow of 11 of Tiffany Studios’ stained glass windows, ranging from ecclesiastical to secular landscapes. Each displays the ways Tiffany Studios reinvented tradition, using embedded colors and new types of glass to create folds, ripples, and other textures that gave life to each scene.

Pullman is a unique community on Chicago's far, south side that blends the history from many different disciplines in a fascinating touring experience. Visiting this area today brings you into that history and also into a new sense of place, seeing the community as it is today. Stop here for exhibits and tours.

Hands-on interactive exhibits introduce the history of Lake County in a fun learning environment. The Museum also displays the nation's largest permanent exhibition on the history and significance of postcards. Changing exhibits throughout the year.

The Dawes House, a magnificent Chateauesque Mansion overlooking Lake Michigan, was the home of the former United States vice president under Calvin Coolidge and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Charles Gates Dawes.

The Glen Rowan House is the perfect setting for weddings, social parties, private, and corporate events. An estate on the North Shore designed by renowned architect Howard Van Doren Shaw, this significant landmark is named for its impressive rowan oak trees and is a part of the Lake Forest College campus.

Representing a variety of downtown restaurants, an array of shops and services and entertainment. Stroll downtown and enjoy shopping the unique stores, visiting the art galleries, eating at one of the many restaurants and end the day with a show at the famous Genesee Theatre, Three Brother's Theatre or enjoy live entertainment at one of the downtown eateries. Join the fun at one of the many events throughout the year, including the monthly ArtWauk. Waukegan has something for everyone.

The site preserves surviving portions of the industrial complex developed in the early 1880s by George M. Pullman to build luxury railroad passenger cars. The plant was the centerpiece of a company-owned town planned under Pullman's direction.

Home of the Chicago Tribune newspaper offices, this Gothic-Revival landmark features flying buttresses and gargoyles This is a result of New York architects John Mead Howells and Raymond M. Hood's design that was chosen as a winner out of 263 entries from twenty-three countries during an international architectural competition to immodestly "erect the most beautiful building in the world" in 1922.

The Itasca Historical Museum was the original Itasca Train Depot built in 1873. A 1939 Milwaukee Road Rib-side Caboose numbered 01839 was acquired and restored to its original bright orange appearance with all new doors, windows and wood interior. Kids love the interactive train display in the Depot which looks like Itasca in the late 1800’s with bells and whistles. Open Tuesdays & Thursdays from 11am-4pm and the 1st and 2nd Saturdays each month from 9am-2pm.

One of only three National Historic Sites in Illinois, the Chicago Portage site is a major remnant of the discovery and settlement of Chicago. The Chicago Portage National Historic Site is located in Portage Woods Forest Preserve and Ottawa Trail Woods Forest Preserve. This is the only place where you can stand on the same ground walked upon by the explorers, early settlers and creators of Chicago. You can stand on the footbridge over the short remnant of Portage Creek, stretch out your arms and know that Jolliet, Marquette, LaSalle, Tonti, Point du Sable, Kinzie, Hubbard, Ogden, and countless anonymous others from the discovery, exploration and creation of Chicago passed within an arm's length of you.

Guided tours (by reservation only) of Ragdale, a nationally renowned artists' community built by noted architect Howard Van Doren Shaw, include a walk through the historic house and gardens as well as a studio visit with an artist-in-residence.

A state of the art history museum dedicated to collecting and sharing the history of the greater Grayslake area. The Grayslake Heritage Center offers programs, exhibitions and special events all year round and includes two galleries, a community room and classroom.

The NIASHF is a museum and educational institution whose mission is to preserving honorable values through sports by honoring and promoting the history and heritage of Italian Americans who have made significant contributions to sports and society.

A Big Ten school and one of the leading universities in the U.S. Its Evanston campus is on the shores of beautiful Lake Michigan. Founded in 1851, this renowned educational institution is rich in stunning architecture. More than 150 historically significant and interesting sites on campus are featured in various walking tours, each taking approximately 30 minutes to complete. Highlights include the Arch, University Hall and the Arts Circle.

The Coach House, a replica Log Cabin, the 1882 home of F.W. Muller and the 1908 Banta House tell the story of Arlington Heights over the last 150 years. Tour guides introduce you to the life of early residents. Tours: Sat. & Sun. 2pm & 3pm Heritage Gallery & Gift Shop: Fri.-Sun. 1:30pm-4:30pm

The LaSalle Street Financial Corridor is one of the most visually stunning districts in the city. A long canyon of buildings, unlike any other area of Chicago, terminates at the Chicago Board of Trade Building, the 1930 Art Deco masterpiece by Holabird & Root. A sparkling, stainless-steel sculpture of Ceres, the goddess of grain, by John Storrs (1885-1956) caps the composition, visually focusing this whirling financial district on the commodity that enabled so much of Chicago’s growth. The Board of Trade was named a Chicago Landmark in 1977 and listed to the National Register in 1978. Copy and descriptions courtesy of AIA Illinois and the 150 Great Places in Illinois www.illinoisgreatplaces.com

The Big Ten Experience features a collection of 13 interactive exhibits showcasing conference notables dating back to 1896, the year the conference was founded. Highlights include the Big Ten Theater which gives patrons a behind-the-scenes, immersive audio and video experience looking at student-athletes and traditions, along with radio and television features of notable accomplishments on and off the field of play.

Most recognized for the production of the Chicago Latino Film Festival, ILCC has screened more than 900 films and videos, including many award-winners that otherwise would have never been shown in Chicago.

Enjoy DuPage County's rich history from the 1830s to the present. The Museum exhibits feature hundreds of historic artifacts and photos along with many fun hands-on activities. You'll find something for toddlers to seniors, and everyone in between. Housed in an 1891 Richardsonian Romanesque building, the museum highlights 150 years of DuPage County history with participatory activities, changing exhibits and extensive model railroad display.

One of the few buildings to survive the Great Chicago Fire, the Historic Water Tower is an icon on North Michigan Avenue and houses the City Gallery, which showcases Chicago photography. The tower was built in 1869 by architect William W. Boyington.

The National Veterans Art Museum inspires greater understanding of the real impact of war with a focus on Vietnam. The museum collects, preserves and exhibits art inspired by combat and created by veterans.

The museum displays rare photos of Hemingway, his childhood diary, letters, early writings and other memorabilia. The Birthplace Home features some original furniture and belongings of the Hemingway family.

Frances Willard was one of the most prominent social reformers in the 19th century America. Willard rallied support for temperance as well as many important reform movements including woman’s suffrage, women’s economic and religious rights, prison reforms, education reforms and labor reforms. The Frances Willard Historical Association operates the Frances Willard House, Willard’s home from its construction in 1865 until her death in 1898.

Come to The National Museum of Mexican Art, where you can immerse yourself in the richness of Mexican art and culture right here in Chicago. Whatever your background, you’ll connect to this museum on a very personal level. We showcase 3,000 years of creativity from both sides of the border, connecting museum visitors to the diversity of Mexican culture. You’ll find us in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood. Here, in the heart of the city’s Mexican community, our 8,500-piece permanent collection meets the highest museum standards.

The Block Museum is Northwestern University’s art museum. The Block is a dynamic, imaginative, and innovative teaching and learning resource for Northwestern and its surrounding communities, featuring a global exhibition program that crosses time periods and cultures and serves as a springboard for thought-provoking discussions relevant to our lives today. The museum also commissions new work by artists to foster connections between artists and the public through the creative process. Each year, the Block mounts exhibitions; organizes and hosts lectures, symposia, and workshops involving artists, scholars, curators, and critics; and screens classic and contemporary films at its in-house cinema.

The National Hellenic Museum is the only major museum in the United States dedicated to telling the story of Greek history, culture and arts from ancient times to today. It's mission is to preserve and explore Hellenism and to chronicle the Greek American journey through exhibitions, oral histories, archival collections and education programs. It's purpose is to inspire in people of all backgrounds a curiosity for their own story through a greater connection to Greek history, culture and the arts.

This historic non-denominational chapel served as a house of worship for thousands of servicemen and women passing through this military base. After the Glenview Naval Air Station closed, the building was moved from its original location and painstakingly restored by the Village of Glenview and Kimball Hill Builders. Now owned by the Park District, it is available for rental by groups, individuals and organizations.

The Bedford Park Heritage Corridor Visitor Center is full of information and literature of exciting things to do and see throughout the Heritage Corridor. The Visitor Center provides National Heritage Corridor promotional literature and I&M Canal related resources to the public. It is operated by the Civic Center Authority in partnership with Heritage Corridor Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Village of Willow Springs. The Center is staffed by volunteers recruited and managed by the Civic Center Authority. Open Saturday 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM and Sunday 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM.

Museum and education center highlighting our nation's social heritage through captivating exhibits and programs. Stories of the 1915 Eastland Disaster, and experience life on the run following the Underground Railroad.

Adlai Stevenson II was an important and influential figure in the political history of the United States. Stevenson was Governor of Illinois from 1949 to 1953 and ran twice for President as the Democratic National Candidate in 1952 and 1956. He also served as Ambassador to the United Nations from 1961 - 1965. The grounds are open daily for self-guided tours. The peaceful setting allows visitors to experience the historic landscape similar to when the family lived in the house. The house has been designated a National Historic Landmark. Group tours can be arranged through the Forest Preserves - 847-968-3422.

Take a guided or self-guided tour of this historic district that contains the world's greatest concentration of Wright-designed structures built in the Prairie School of Architecture style. Tours are offered daily.

The creation of Harold Washington Library Center is a product of a widely publicized architectural competition. Designed by Tom Beeby, the red brick, granite, and glass composition uses traditional design motifs to establish itself as a civic structure. A two-story battered granite base supports a five-story brick body punctuated by five arches along State Street and three facing Congress and Van Buren. The Harold Washington Library Center is a hybrid design that reflects the conflicting architectural ideas that characterized the late 1980s.

As an official Department of the Navy Museum, the Great Lakes Naval Museum's mission is to select, collect, preserve, and interpret the history of the United States Navy with particular emphasis on the Navy's only "boot camp" at the Naval Training Station/Center at Great Lakes, Illinois. Exhibits feature an overview of the boot camp experience and the history of Naval Station Great Lakes. The museum is located at the Great Lakes Naval Station by the Main Gates. Admission and parking are free. Public transportation to the Great Lakes Naval Museum is available via Metra's Union Pacific North Line.

The Chicago Haunting tours follow a course of history that starts with the very beginnings of Chicago, traveling from its humble origins as a frontier outpost, through the 19th century -- including the Great Chicago Fire and its aftermath--, into the 20th century and the gangster era of the 1920s and 1930s, and forward to today. Chicago Hauntings cover a lot of information and many, many stories. There is no exact formula,and they don't set out to scare. Rather, they let the stories and their own experiences speak for themselves. They never fail.

DuPage County, Chicago’s Western Suburbs - Housed in historic Turner Town Hall (National Register site), the museum features community history exhibits and a research collection including local history and railroad materials. The Kid Zone Gallery offers changing hands-on displays for all ages.

The A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum was founded in 1995 by Dr. Lyn Hughes. The facility is located in the Historic Pullman District in Chicago Illinois. The facility is named after men who made history - Asa Philip Randolph and Pullman Porters, the men who made up the membership of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP) union. Randolph was the chief organizer and co-founder of the BSCP, the first African-American labor union in the country to win a collective bargaining agreement. Under Randolph's leadership, the Pullman Porters fought a valiant battle for employment equality with the corporate giant, the Pullman Rail Car Company.

Escape into Chicago's underworld on a crime and mob tour with Chicago Crime Tours. Some of the world’s most famous criminals, mobsters and gangsters bamboozled their way through Chicago. Sit comfortably on a climate controlled bus and enjoy sightseeing famous Chicago crime scenes from the 19th century through modern times. Investigate Al Capone, The Untouchables, The Chicago Mob, John Dillinger, H.H. Holmes, George Streeter, The Chicago Black Sox, Leopold & Loeb, and more. See the site of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, one of Chicago's most notorious murder scenes. Stakeout crime scenes like the Biograph Theatre, Holy Name Cathedral and other Chicago landmarks. Check out the historic criminal courthouse, a Chicago architectural landmark where some of Chicago's most notorious cases were tried. Escape into the criminal past of Chicago's River North, Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, Old Town, Loop and Magnificent Mile neighborhoods. Get off the bus and explore where Chicago gangsters John Dillinger and Hymie Weiss stood just before their deaths.

The DuSable Museum of African American History is located on University of Chicago's Hyde Park campus. Experience a unique cultural environment as you travel through African American history. DuSable Museum shares African American history through a variety of impactful traveling and insightful permanent exhibits, educational programs and special seasonal celebrations. Visit, learn, and enjoy! Ongoing: Red, White, Blue & Black: A History of Blacks in the Armed Services; A Slow Walk to Greatness: The Harold Washington Story.